EPISODE #5505: SECRET SANTA SWEEPSTAKES
$1K Tossup: EVENT
O N _ I N E
A U _ T I _ N
Talia flubs w/ ONLINE AUDITION (I kinda wished this program would offer one), allowing Mindy to solve ONLINE AUCTION.
Mindy Evans: director of development for a non-profit company who’s also a hairstylist from Chicago
Matthew Topalian: 5th grade teacher who taught in Taiwan for six years from Marlborough, MA
Talia Montoya: University of New Mexico senior studying journalism and mass communications who has two young kids from Albuquerque
$2K Tossup: FICTIONAL CHARACTER
H U _ _ _ Y
D U _ P T Y
Matthew catches HUMPTY DUMPTY to start the first round.
Gift Tag: Sean chocolates
Jackpot Round: EVENT
He gets that sears wedge right away w/ two T’s, followed by two N’s for $600, a $500 G, an I and three E’s, two W’s for the green 1/2 KIA, but then the BANKRUPT near the WC to forfeit $6,600 cash & sears plus that plate. Second, Talia frontloads the $350 S, buys an A, and puts up a $1,500 trio of R’s, then we have…
S E T T I N G / A / N E W
W _ R _ _ / R E _ _ R _
…she’s obviously not SETTING A NEW WORLD RECORD, but she’s won her first $1,600 when she could’ve gone for the D’s.
SOLE BANKRUPT: Matthew
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $7,150
Talia: $1,600/Mindy: $1K/Matthew: $2K
Mystery Round: SHOW BIZ
Talia’s off and running w/ three T’s for the swan chocolates gift tag, two S’s for $600, three E’s and an A; she follows w/ a $500 H for the other 1/2 KIA, twin I’s, three N’s for $1,350, three O’s, three R’s to add $1,200, and the last vowel of U. After all that work’s the LaT. Mindy next gets the green 1/2 KIA w/ two L’s and a $3,500 M, but she then squanders her turn w/ P. Matthew then puts up the twin C’s for $700 and a FP X…
S I M O N / C O _ E L L
R E T U R N S / I N
T H E / X / _ A C T O R
…he solves SIMON COWELL RETURNS IN “THE X FACTOR” (that show’s now canceled in the U.S.) for $1,200.
SOLE DUD: P (Mindy)
SOLE LaT: Talia
Talia: $1,600/Mindy: $1K/Matthew: $3,200
We’re only $800 above the minimum, and we need to better than that.
PP Round: PHRASE
First, Mindy says her second straight dud of S. Second in line, Matthew has two T’s for $700, a $900 H, and E trio and a $600 N, but he LaTs out. Third, Talia gets the green 1/2 KIA and a $300 R, buys five O’s, but then strikes out w/ an A buy. After Mindy BANKRUPTS the same way Matthew did, the man buys a U, picks up twin F’s for $800 more and buys the last vowel of two I’s. After a $900 trio of T’s, he’s looking at…
B E / O N / T H E
L O O _ O U T / F O R
_ I L _ L I F E
…after winning another $4,050, he needs to BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WILDLIFE, because he’s won the $5,500 Caravan.com CANADA TOUR.
DUDS: S (Mindy), O (Talia)
SOLE LaT: Matthew
SOLE BANKRUPT: Mindy
Talia: $1,600/Mindy: $1K/Matthew: $12,750 cash & tour
$3K Tossup: PLACE
_ _ N V E N _ E N C E
S T O _ E
Matthew’s been to a CONVENIENCE STORE before, so he’s up to $15,750.
Round 4: PERSON
After he starts w/ a $350 L, we go into Speed-Up Mode…
_ _ _ / _ _ L _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _
…w/ a $1,350 Final Spin. Later, Mindy makes Vanna put up the N’s…
T H _ / S T R _ N _
S _ L _ N T / T _ P _
…she’s not THE STRONG SILENT TYPE of player, but she’s won $4,050.
FINAL SCORES
Talia: $1,600/Mindy: $5,050/Matthew: $15,750 cash & tour
GT: $22,400
BANKRUPT TRASH (excluding plate): $6,600 cash & SS
TALIA SPIN ID: LF2525837 (Long F.)
MINDY SPIN ID: MM2247126 (Mary Ellen M.)
$100K Bonus Round
His stopping point’s the I in WIN.
Category: PHRASE
Another easy one…
_ R _ _ E
_ _ _ R S E L _
CDMO fills in two more blanks…
_ R _ C E
_ O _ R S E L _
BRACE YOURSELF, everyone — he COMPLETELY BOTCHES IT w/ PRICE MORSELS, costing him $30K.
FINAL SPIN ID OF THE WEEK: OP6383803 (Olivia P.)
MY EP. RATING: 5
WHEEL of FORTUNE with Andy Nguyen 